Epidavros and Mystra

The City of Mystras sits on a hill overlooking the infamous region of Sparta, and is one of the most significant and complete examples of a Byzantine city still in existence today. Before being burnt down by the Ottoman’s, Mystra once stood as the second most important city in the Byzantine Empire after Consantinople because of its growing population, and expanding influence in the art world. During our time here we see one of the city’s historic monasteries that is still operating today. Ending our time in Mystras with a walking tour of three churches that exemplify the Byzantine Architecture and Art that is so well known in this area. After visiting Sparta for lunch, we head to Epidavros, located in the northeastern region of the Peleponnese. Epidavros was an important site in the Ancient Greek world, serving in mythology as the birthplace of the god Asclepius the healer. Today the town is most famous for the enormous theatre that still stands. Built in the 4th Century BC, the Epidavros theatre can hold more than 15,000 spectators, and still has advanced design features that cut out lower frequency sounds, so even on the stage, no microphone is needed to assist whoever is speaking. We encourage all to test out this incredible sound system!